 Upgrade your smart phone with Appalachian Wireless. Get $300 off selected models, capture memories, stream and stay connected with the latest technology. Visit one of our stores or AppalachianWireless.com right now. On Tuesday, July 18th, the Pike County Fiscal Corps held a meeting to discuss the rate increase proposed by Kentucky Power. Residents of Pike County could soon experience an 18% increase in their electric bill if the Public Service Commission accepts the offer. This could cause many people in the county to either cut costs elsewhere or leave altogether. We basically are trying to send the message that we're at a tipping point where people simply can't pay more. It's getting to be where a lot of people are going to have to leave the region simply because the cost of living here is getting out of control. You also have to take into account the number of people that we have here who are senior citizens on Social Security, disabled coal miners, retirees and those folks, their income is not going to go up 18.3% next year. The Fiscal Court does not support the decision to increase power rates. Jones is hopeful that the Public Service Commission hear the outcry from the Pike County residents. The Fiscal Court is out of the opinion that an 18.3% rate increase in these economic conditions that we're in would be very, very hard on a lot of people, senior citizens, people on fixed income and businesses are going to pass those costs on to customers. It's going to be a burden on local governments to have to pay additional costs as well. Ultimately the taxpayers and the rate payers end up picking the tab up for that. We hope that this sends a message that while we recognize the situation facing the power company and we appreciate what the power companies men and women do that provide the service to us, that people here just can't pay that kind of rate increase. Reporting from Mountain Top News, I'm Nick Colum.